Traditional Stool Crashed My Professional Football Dream – Emir Of Bauchi
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – The Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu has revealed that but for the call by the people of Bauchi Emirate on him to succeed his late father as the Emir of Bauchi, he would have been a professional footballer.
The Emir was speaking on Sunday in his Palace when he received former Nigerian footballer stars, Kanu Nwakwo, Daniel Amokachi, Garba Lawal, JJ Okocha, Taribo West, Hashimu Garba, Kalilou Fadigha and a host of other top African football stars led by the President of African Children Talent Discovery Foundation, Engnr Noah Dallaji.
The Emir jokingly said; “In my hey days in school, I was a football player, I played very well that I was nicked named ‘Amo the Bull’ because I was playing just like Daniel Amokachi. I could score goals from any angle”.
He continued; “I am an ardent Arsenal FC fan for life. I love Arsenal and I was made to love the club because of ‘Papilo’, Nwakwo Kanu. He was playing fantastically for the club that time and I loved his achievements with the Club”.
The Emir commended the former football stars for doing the country proud while playing actively and assured them that their labour for the country shall not be in vain and therefore called on the younger ones to emulate the great stars in order to have their names written in gold as well.
Earlier, the President of African Children Talent Discovery Foundation, Mr Noah Dallaji said that his foundation was in Bauchi State to discover, harness and mentor football talents discovered in the state during a talent hunt held recently.
Dallaji explained that the aim is to give the youths a future, to make them become professional footballers anywhere in the world, stressing that it is a means of reducing the rate of unemployment among the youths in the country.
He also said that his foundation is collaborating with the former football stars in order to mentor the discovered raw talents in the art of football as well as to serve as motivation to them as they go on the journey of a lifetime.
